Rotatable plane.



R. D. & B. L. WHEELER. ROTATABLE PLANE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1911.

1,036,044, Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

- To all whom it may concern:

s'rA'ras ROYDESMOND WHEELER, F SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WAI-AES, AND BERTBAND LEOlll'AIBilJ WHEELER, OF MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA,

ao'rA'rABLE PLANE.

Be it known that we, RoY D. WHEELER and BERTRAND L. WHEELER, subjects of the Kingof Great Britain,.and residing at Sydney, New South Wales, Australia,: and Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, respectively, have invented a new and'useful Improvement in Rotatable Planes, of which the following isa specification. v

This invention relates to an aeroplane, which we term a rotatable plane. r

The object oft-he invention is to keep. the aeroplane on an even keel, to avoid air friction, and to increase the speed ofthe machine.

Theinvention consists in providing upon opposite sides of an aeroplane rotatable planes in the form of disks or wheels, which restand rotate in a horizontal plane, the said wheels being. revolved in opposite d1- rections, and by means preferably separate and independent of the motor which lifts and propels the aeroplane. These rotatable planes are not designed for the purpose of lifting the machine in any way from the ground and are not provided with blades or pro-pellers. They are designed solely as supporting planes and can be applied to-aero-" planes, and especially'to monoplanes, as atpresent constructed with possibly .afew slight alterations.

' The invention also consists in thenovel features of construction hereinafter, de scribed, pointed ,out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a monopl'ane provided with our invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View of one of the rotatable planes, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the rotatable planes. In these drawings 1 represents the body of the ae'roplane,'which is provided with an elevating plane 2, a propeller 3 and suitable engine 4 for driving the propeller. The drivers seat is indicated at 5, and all control mechanism including suitable levers for operating the plane 2 are arranged adjacent said seat. As the steering and controlling mechanism forms a part of the regularaeroplane and is not claimed as a part of our ini vent-ion the same has not been shown and no description of it is considered necessary,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 20, 19125 as it will of course vary with the type of machine used and the arrangement of the lifting and steering planes.

' Our invention consists of a suitable transversely arra'ngedframe work 6 which for convenience .of description we term an outrigger. This outrigger extends equally upon opposite sides of the body 1 and at its outer ends forms a bearing for a suitable shaft or hub 7, which hub carries spokes 8 and also a pulley 9, or if desired a sprocket may replace the pulley. The hub and spokes ameter, the central portion of which may be considered as cut out, and this centrally cut out portion which. is measured by the distance of the inner rim from the hub may are preferably of that type common 1n bibe greater or less as may be found desirable.

In practice we have found it desirable to secure the spokes Stoan intermediate rim 12, concentric with and arranged midway between the outer rim 9 and the inner rim 10, rather than to connect-said spokes to strength than could be secured by any other construction considered practical, and we also obtain a wheel which has no weak places but is as strong in one part as another.

- Itwill of course be understood that the rims 9 and 10 and the intermediate rim 12 are connected and braced by suitable radialribs to distinguish theinfrom true spokes; 8.

In the drawing we have shown the canvas as stretched over and inclosing the frame of the wheel, thus providing two layers of can- 9'0 18, which may be regarded as false spokes, I

vas one on top and one on the bottom, but it will be understood that we can use one layer of canvas, either upon-top or bottom should it be desired. v We have also shown a longitudinal curving of the false spokes 13, thereby dishing the wheel. The planes are upwardly inclined the hubs 7 being given an inclination so as to tilt the planes, thus elevating their forward portions. These planes are driven by a'suitable small engine 14 and rotation is-transmitted to them by suitable of accident to the engine 14 the rotatable.

planes may be kept in rotation by foot power while gliding to a landing place. It will also be understood that more than two of these rotatable planes may be employed if desired. I

With planes ofthis construction rotating inopposite directions the machine is kept on an even keel, and its stability in squalls, high winds and unexpected air .currentswill be greatly increased. It is also believed that this circular rotatable plane; will be less liable tobreak under sudden strain or gusts than a rigid plane provided with 'unyield ing corners.

. We are aware that it has been proposedto I employ horizontally arranged blades or'propellers in combination with air ships, de-. signed for the purpose of giving vertical movement to the air ship, or to resist and ,che'ck descent, and we do not claimv the use of blades or propellers so arranged.

What we claim is;

1; In a device of the kind described, a rotatable plane, said plane consistingmf a hub, of outer, intermediate, and inner rims concehtrically arranged, spokes extending from said huband connected to the intermediate rim, a suitable fabric covering said rims and means connecting the said rims.

2. An aeroplane comprising a body, a transversely arranged outrigger, hubs carried by said outrigger, circular planes consisting of outer, intermediate and inner rims, radial ribs connecting said rims, spokes carried by the hub and secured to the intermediate rim, and a suitable fabric covering said rims.

.3. In an aeroplane a central hub arranged vertically, outer, intermediate and inner rims concentric wl\--- said hub and. in dinerent planes, curved'ribs arranged radially with respect to the hub and connecting said rims, and radially extending spokes arranged in up er and lower sets carried respectively by the upper and lower portions of the hub the spokes of each set being secured to the intermediate rim, and, a fabric covering said runs, the spokes passing through said fabric,-

as'and for the purpose set forth.

4.111 an aeroplane, a circular, rotatable plane comprising a central hub, inner, intermediate and outer rims, radial ribs connect ing theinner and outerrims and secured to the intermediate rim, spokes connected tothe intermediate rim and to the hub, a fabricextending from theinner to the outerrims, the radial ribs being longitudinally curved, and-their inner ends being normally in a lower plane than their outer Iends, thereby causing a transverse curvature of the fabric. v

' ROY DESMQND WHEELER.

, BER-BRAND LEONARD WHEELER. Witnesses; I

' HENRY SONNENBERG, I NORMAN T. MAxAiI. 

